Method and apparatus for washing molded articles



25, 1969 w. A. M CORMICK, JR 3,429,744

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR wASHING MOLDED ARTICLES Filed Oct. 12, 1964INVENTOR 7l7,ZZizzmAM 0orr/Iick,Jn

United States Patent Office 3,429,744 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 9 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and assembly for cleaning moldedarticles including the removal of excess material from the articles by afreeze-blast process and then inserting the articles in a vibratorywasher which cleans the articles by rubbing a cleaning media againstthem. The articles are then separated from the cleaning media andsubsequently rinsed and dried.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for washing rubber orthermoplastic molded articles and more particularly to such articles inwhich the excess trim or fiash has first been removed.

A recently developed deflashing apparatus which is described in US.3,110,983 effectively removes flash and other excess material bydifferentially freezing the molded pieces and blasting the pieces withabrasive particles. In this process, however, as in other defiashingprocesses, a metallic residue from the abrasive is deposited on thedefiashed parts which results in varying degrees of discolorization andsmudges in accordance with the original color and nature of the rubberor plastic compound.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel methodand apparatus for washing molded articles.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic View of one embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of a vibrator used in the embodiment of theinvention shown in FIG. I.

In accordance with this invention the defiashed articles are unloadedfrom the defiasher and conveyed to a vibratory washer. Cleaning media isplaced in the washer and vibrated along with the articles. The cleaningmedia provides sufficient mass to the load to encourage and stimulatethe gyratory motion generated in the vibratory machine. Advantageously,a detergent and additional cleaning media are also inserted in thevibratory machine to effectively clean and remove discoloration from thearticles. At the completion of the washing cycle the parts aredischarged together with the cleaning media into a separating devicewhich separates the cleaning media for reuse in the vibratory washerwhile the cleaned defiashed partes are conveyed to a rinsing and adrying machine.

As shown in FIG. 1 the articles are defiashed in an abrasive blastingmachine 10 such as shown in US. Patent No. 3,110,983. After deflashingthe articles are conveyed either manually or mechanically to thevibratory washer 12 and are later discharged to the separator 14 whichmay be of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 3,259,519 and illustratedin FIG. 4 thereof.

FIG. 2 shows one form of the vibratory washer 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, vibrator 12 is, for example, of the type disclosedin copending application Ser. No. 379,- 814, filed July 2, 1964 and nowUS. Patent No. 3,336,701. Vibrator 12 includes a tub 16 resilientlymounted on posts 18. A motor 20 drives a pair of shafts 22 under tub 16.Eccentrics 24 on shafts 22 impart a vibratory motion to tub 16 andinduce continuous flow from inlet end 26 of tub 16 toward discharge end28. The defiashed articles 30 are conveyed either manually ormechanically from deflasher 10 to chute 32 and into inlet end 26 ofvibrator 12. The cleaning media 34 is also introduced at inlet end 26 ofvibrator 12. This cleaning media is advantageously properly sizedaluminum oxide chip which provides sufficient mass to the load toencourage and stimulate the gyratory motion basically imparted by theamplitude and frequency of the vibration generated in the tub 16 ofvibratory machine 12. Washing is accomplished by the addition of asatisfactory detergent compound and additional cleaning media such asnatural or cellulose sponges, properly sized according to the shape andconformation of the part or parts 30 so as to provide complete contactof the sponges with all surfaces of the parts to be cleaned. Thegyratory vibrating action imparted to the sponges provides sufiicientrubbing action in conjunction with the cleaning action of the detergentcompound to remove completely all smudge and discoloration from thedefiashed parts 30. When the defiashed parts 30 are completely washed,parts 30 and cleaning media 34 including the sponges and compound aredischarged from end 28 of tub 16 and conveyed either manually ormechanically to separator 14.

Although FIG. 2 shows vibrator 12 as being partic ularly adapted forcontinuous type operation, a vibrator such as shown in US. Patent No.3,063,207 can also be advantageously utilized in this invention forbatch type operation,

In separator 14 the washed defiashed parts 30 are separated from thecleaning media and sponges. The sponges, compound and cleaning media 34are then reconveyed back to vibrator 12 for reuse with other defiashedparts. Washed parts 30 however are conveyed to a rinsing machine 36where they are subjected to a water spray rinse. Parts 30 are thenconveyed to a drying machine 38 and are dryed by a hot air blastingsystem.

Advantageously, the entire system may be automatically timed andinterlocked through timing mechanism 40 on, for example, the controlpanel of blasting machine 10 so that the entire system operates as acontinuous batch processing system.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, tobe understood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for cleaning molded articles comprising the steps ofinserting the articles into a deflashing machine, removing excessmaterial from said articles by a freeze-blast process, unloading saidarticles from said deflashing machine, conveying said articles to avibratory washer, inserting cleaning media including sponges andparticulate matter in said washer, vibrating said washer to rub saidsponges against said articles with the particulate matter providing massto encourage and stimulate gyratory motion, conveying said articles andsaid cleaning media to a separator, separating said articles from saidcleaning media, conveying said articles to a rinsing and drying device,and rinsing and drying said articles.

2. The method of claim 1v wherein said particulate matter is aluminumoxide chip.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said cleaning media is reconveyed fromsaid separator to said vibratory washer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said articles are mechanically loadedinto said vibratory washer.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said articles are manually loaded intosaid vibratory washer.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said articles are rinsed by a waterspray and dried by hot air blasts.

7. The process of claim 3 wherein batches of said articles are loadedinto said vibratory washer.

8. An assembly for cleaning molded articles comprising deflashing meanshaving freezing and blasting means therein for removing excess materialfrom said articles, vibratory washing means for removing smudge anddiscoloration from said articles, conveying means between saiddeflashing means and said vibratory washing means for unloading saidarticles from said deflashing means and inserting them in said vibratorywashing means, cleaning means for insertion into said vibratory washerto facilitate the washing of said articles, said cleaning meansincluding sponges and also including particulate matter for providingmass to encourage and stimulate gyratory motion, separating means forseparating said washed articles from the cleaning means, and conveyingmeans between said vibratory washing means and said separating means forconveying said articles and said cleaning means from said vibratorywashing means to said separating means and for reconveying said cleaningmeans to said vibratory washing means.

9. The assembly of claim 8 including rinsing and drying means, andconveying means for removing said articles from said separating meansand loading said atricles into said rinsing and drying means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,964,429 6/1934 Eberts 134-72,554,701 5/1951 Hackett et a1. 134-7 2,862,222 12/1958 Cockrell 13473,187,473 6/1965 Ruppe 1347 MORRIS O. WOLK, Primary Examiner.

B. S. RICHMAN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

